Danilo Salameda, PE // Manager, Project Development & Principal // Miami, FL Office // Employee Owner since 2016
How long have you been at BL? It is coming up on 10 years this December.
What drew you to a career in engineering? I always knew. I was either going to fly jets or I was going to be an engineer, so my degree is in aerospace engineering. Everything worked out as such that I ended up in civil engineering and I haven’t looked back. Taking things apart, putting them together, understanding how they work and why they work, it’s just always been there for me. I think I was also drawn to civil engineering because things move a little faster. Projects go from paper to built in a year or two, so the sense of gratification is much faster in civil engineering.
Can you tell us a little about your role at BL? What do you do as a Manager of Project Development? My role at BL is multi-pronged. I have responsibilities on the operations side, business development, and recruiting. On the operations side I oversee projects as well as the growth and development of the Florida team. On the business development side, I have multi-regional clients that I continue to work with as well as trying to develop relationships and signed contracts in the Southeast, particularly Florida, for all asset classes: general retail, commercial, and residential. Finally, on the recruiting side, we’re focusing on growth at BL and aiming to expand our team, with a strong emphasis on bringing in talent from the Southeast.
What is your favorite part of the job? The best part of my job is success on various endeavors; growth and development of a team member, municipal approval on a project, signed contract with a new client, or a successful new hire.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work for fun? I’m a beach person. I have an affinity to waves and water; surfing, paddleboarding, sailing, it’s all been a part of my life for a long time.
